The FAA is Set To Modernize Air Traffic Control Over the Oceans

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In anticipation of awarding a contract in
June, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected
Lockheed Martin Air Traffic Management to proceed to contract
negotiations following a robust, international competition to replace
the air traffic control automation system at three Air Route Traffic
Control Centers.

The Advanced Technologies and Oceanic Procedures (ATOP)
contract calls for the replacement of oceanic systems at the
Anchorage, New York and Oakland centers, which handle air
traffic in international airspace over the Pacific and Atlantic
Oceans.

The new oceanic system will collect, manage, and display oceanic
air traffic data, including electronic flight-strip data, on the
computer displays used by air traffic controllers. The new system
will integrate capabilities, such as flight data processing, radar
data processing, automatic dependent surveillance, controller-pilot
data link and conflict probe. The new system is expected to result
in efficiency improvements, fuel savings for the airlines and
better on-time performance for air travelers. ATOP will allow more
planes to fly preferred routes.

Oceanic air traffic control differs from domestic air traffic control
largely because there is no radar tracking of aircraft and no direct
radio communication. Oceanic air traffic controllers must rely on
other sources of aircraft position information. This data includes
voice position reports from pilots derived from on-board
navigation systems that include the Global Positioning System
and communications satellite information.

The ATOP contract will provide a modernized oceanic air traffic
control automation system including, installation, training,
procedural development support and lifecycle system
maintenance. The contract also allows for pre-planned product
improvements over the system lifecycle.

During a competitive 18-month process, a team of FAA experts
from different disciplines conducted a thorough analysis of
products available in the worldwide air traffic control marketplace.

The FAA concluded that Lockheed Martin offered the best value
and acceptable development risk. Lockheed Martin's proposed
system is based on the system currently used by New Zealand
for oceanic air traffic control and the Department of Defense and
FAA's Microprocessor Enroute Automated Radar Tracking System.
The Lockheed Martin proposed system will be modified to handle
the busier and more complex U.S. airspace.

The ATOP evaluation teams were composed of controllers and
maintainers of the current system; and subject matter experts in
risk areas such as human factors, system security, system
certification, air traffic control procedures and site implementation.
The FAA will sign agreements with the National Air Traffic
Controllers Association and the Professional Airways Systems
Specialists about specific modifications necessary for introduction
of the vendor's system into the FAA operational environment.
These changes, identified during the evaluation portion of the
acquisition process, will be included in the contract.

The FAA expects to award a firm fixed price contract after final
negotiations with Lockheed Martin are completed in June.